Decorator Tips for Newbies
The home has always daunted me. Ask me what to wear to a wedding at noon and I'm your girl. Ask me what to wear to the Alma Mater football game to impress your college friends, and I'll have them oodling your chic-ness for months on end. But ask me about the appropriate light fixture beside a sofa, the correct size chandelier for a dining room or the best window treatments for a bath room and I'm clueless. It's really shocking, actually. I thought that since I had such a grasp of fashion and an eye for accessories, I'd be a natural in the home. But au contraire. This fashion maven is a domestic disaster.

Nevertheless, the decorating must go on. Once out of college and earning your way in this world, you have to take stock in your home. It's a part of you. It took me a while to grasp this, as I really just wanted to cling to my mom's home. (She has no domestic delinquencies.) But it is true. Your home is where you sleep, eat, primp and live. It's the place from which you start each day and the place to which you return at its end. As such, attention must be paid.

In an effort to get my home in gear, I polled my decorator friends to get some fundamental pointers. Obviously perceiving my ignorance, they offered quick lessons that make all the difference when dressing your domicile. And I have to admit that I think I've caught the bug. By being in each of their homes/offices/showrooms, I was so inspired by the chic order of things. I learned that even the random throw laying on the back of the sofa serves a purpose. In these homes, everything counts - every basket, candlestick and pillow. I tell you, I feel like a grown-up now. I'm all about fabric stores, hardware websites and fixture outlets. And this is coming from a girl who didn't know a swatch from a watch. But enough about me. On with the lessons:

1. On chandeliers... For this, I went to my friends at Whitnee's Antiques. Aside from getting a wonderful look at some lovely antique fixtures, I got some quality advice. It seems that buying the correct size chandelier is as important as its design. Too big is like too much eye shadow, too little is like no lipstick for black tie.
   A rule of thumb is as follows: (Room width x Room height)/ 7 = Diameter of chandelier. Additionally, the chandelier should hang about 30" - 36" from the top of your dining room table. For more specifics, click here.
   Whitnee's Antiques, 2003 Fairview Road, Raleigh, NC 27608. (919)829-9998.
2. When painting, pick a pretty shade of white (and there are a million shades of white) and use that on all the woodwork in your house. This makes touchups much easier. Go for a semi-gloss if you want to be able to wipe down marks or dirt/grime. Use flat for easier touchups.
3. Balance something tall with something short. That is, if you have a sofa, a loveseat and a chair in a room at roughly the same heights, add a floor lamp, an end table lamp or tall plants to create a little diversion to the room.
4. Mirrors do wonders for increasing the size of a room.
5. Be careful not to show too much leg. (A good rule of thumb in so many ways.) If your chairs have legs exposed, cover your sofa's with a skirt to soften the overall look.
6. Break up the monotony with a splash of color. This was the simplest, most cost effective trick I learned. Like a fashion newbie who won't buy anything but black or white, I'm scared to break away from neutral colors in my furniture. As such, shades of khaki abound. By adding colorful pillows and interesting throws to the backs of my sofas, my room went from boring/blah to yummy/rich in a flash.
7. Rugs should fit the space. It doesn't have to be one rug. It could be 2 rugs in one room. But they need to fill the space. Additionally, your furniture should be on or off the rug, not teetering in between.
8. Upholstery. See numbers 9 and 10. Form a relationship with a good upholstery man or woman. New fabric on that dingy sofa your mom passed on to you can change your room. But it can be expensive, so find an expert you can trust to guide you through which pieces are worth the upgrade. Timothy Pierce of T&V Upholstery (a go-to for the she she me team due to his honesty, good prices and quick turnaround time) says that just about every piece can be made new again with a little work and new fabric. Make sure that your man/woman offers pickup and delivery.
9. Patience. Don't rush into big decisions. It takes time to build a home. If you try to do too much too fast, you'll make mistakes that you'll regret.
10. Be confident. Find your groove and take some time to learn what you like. Not every rule is meant to be kept or broken. So look through magazines, walk through homes and stores and keep your eyes open. You'll be amazed at what you'll learn on your own.

That should give us all some things to ponder. It's all very exciting, if you ask me. After all, who knew retail therapy had another whole avenue on which to explore? See you in the Home section.

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Enjoy the retailing! Be sure to take note of the discounts offered to she she girls.